Just One More
by SineTimore
Summary: A car ride, a car game and then just one more. *one shot*


**Disclaimer:** Mais non.

**AN:** When I have a rough day, I like to play in their world. Have a happy Friday and a happy weekend, my friends.

* * *

_**Just One More**_

They still have twenty minutes in the car before their long weekend at the beach house can officially begin, and if she has to listen to _Castle's Road Trip Mix_ for twenty more seconds she just might open the passenger door and jump. It's that bad.

"Castle," she finally huffs, "can we please turn this noise off?"

"This _what_?" he asks, overshooting by more than a little bit the appropriate amount of indignation called for by such a slight. "This is great stuff and, quite frankly, your lack of taste shocks me, Detective."

"Funny, that's not what you said last night," she lobs back before ejecting the disc herself.

"That's…wow. I don't-"

"Forget to pack your wordsmith cap, Castle?" she chuckles, enjoying the sudden exquisite silence of his luxury automobile. "That's okay, you can retort later, once your jaw finds its hinges again."

He can literally feel the scowl on his face. Not only did she insult his music selections which he spent almost an entire hour compiling, but she's now beaten him in the game of quips. Mainly because he's apparently forgotten how to offer one. Whatever.

"Fine," he offers after a few moments of pouting, "if you won't listen to my masterpiece of tunes, you have to play a game with me until we get to the house. It's only fair."

"Are you seven? Seriously? We can't just sit here and enjoy the peace and quiet like adults? We only have a few more minutes anyway."

"Exactly!" he replies as if offering the winning answer on a game show. "If it's just a few minutes then you shouldn't mind, right?"

She sighs audibly. "Fine, Castle, what game would you like to play?" she asks, the roll of her eyes seeping from every word. "And don't say _I Spy_," she adds with a bark.

"Like I was going to," he stammers less than convincingly. "Um, how about _Either/Or_? I give you two choices and you have to pick the one you prefer and then you do the same for me, okay?" She may have been right, he realizes. He does sort of sound like he's seven.

"Okay, fine, ask." She twirls the ejected cd on her finger as she gives him the green light. Somehow, she's seriously reconsidering.

"Um," he thinks aloud, "okay, I've got one: _giving or receiving_?"

"Castle!" she hollers, snapping her head towards him in disbelief.

"I'm just kidding, Detective, I'm just kidding," he laughs. "You're too easy."

"We'll see what you think about that later on. My guess is you won't be laughing so much."

"Ouch. Okay, for real this time: _cake or pie_?"

She can tell how much he loves this already. He's so goddamned adorable. It makes her crazy. "Cake, definitely." She catches his nod of self-congratulation. "My turn now. Um: _The Muppet Show or Sesame_ _Street_?"

"Nice one, Detective. And, that one's easy, Muppets, no question."

"That kinda surprises me, actually. I thought for sure you'd feel a certain kinship with Big Bird, Castle." She giggles at the thought.

"Ha, ha, funny. My turn. Now then: _chocolate or vanilla_?"

She glances in his direction. "Obviously someone's hungry. Good thing we're almost there. For any number of reasons. And, I pick vanilla. It's…simple."

"You are anything but simple, Kate," he replies. A compliment, she knows.

As they make the final turn on their journey to the house, she presents the final choice. "Last one, Castle, thank heavens: _city or beach_?"

"How about," he begins as he shifts into park, "wherever you are." He unbuckles his seatbelt and leans in to kiss her lightly. "Now, was that so bad?"

"Shut up," she groans, trying with difficulty to mask her grin.

Once inside, he retreats to the bedroom with their bags and she begins to scavenge the kitchen for something she can make for them to eat. She has no desire to get back in the car at the moment to go out and get something. He's gone longer than she expects and she calls out to him as she fills the pasta pot with water.

"I'm right here, Kate," he says, standing mere feet from her current position, his hands noticeably hidden behind his back.

"Geez, Castle, you scared me. And, what are you doing? Are you hiding something back there?" she asks suspiciously. "It's not another cd is it?"

"No, Kate, it's not a cd. I have one final _either/or_ if you're up for it."

"O-kay," she agrees with slight hesitation.

"_Left or right_?" he inquires.

She turns the water off, the pot now full. "I guess I'll go with left, Castle."

He quickly and subtly moves the object from his right hand to his left. Dammit. He should have known. He brings his left arm around his body, his hand in a tight fist. "You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"God, I hope so," he whispers as he opens his hand and shows her the ring.


End file.
